


Prank Wars!

by Der_Katze



Category: Supernatural, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Other, Season/Series 15
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 08:44:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18465475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Der_Katze/pseuds/Der_Katze
Summary: After an unresolved case in Cape Canaveral, Florida, "Supernatural" takes some unexpected turns in the last chapters of the “Winchester Gospel”. Set in Future!Season 15.





	Prank Wars!

°

 

 

 

**Prank Wars!**

 

 

“Geez, that was definitely one of the most tragic cases ever!” Sam sighs as he slips into the shotgun seat of the Impala.

Deans stills for a moment before he shoves the key into the ignition. “Yeah. I can still hear their screams." A little shudder runs through him at the thought of the misfortunate start of Apollo 1. "Damn, and here I thought Florida would be nice.”

“The first time, we couldn’t help some trapped ghosts.” Sam sounds really desperate.

“I know, Sammy, but salt ‘n burn would really not have done the trick here. I mean, these guys were burnt alive in this fucking capsule. I guess, they were more like echoes, remember Corbett.”

“The young ghostfacer intern? Sure. I just wish …”

“I know, Sam.” They clearly had felt the presence of the burnt astronauts in these left over concrete pieces of the former launch pad, the EMF meter going nuts. Hearing those screams, had given Dean some different kind of creeps and chills. Too real, just too fucking real.

“And all this tragedy, just to proof that capitalism and the US are better than communism and the CCCP. Stupid!” Sam is still foaming, so Dean just nods. Firstly, because Sammy is right, but also because if Sam is in one of those moods, there is no use argueing.

“Also, they never did anything to anyone, so …” – “I know, Sam. Would have been nice to know, that the crew actually rests in peace, but ….” Dean sighs.

With a long sigh, he finally starts the enging, the Impala waking with a roar to life and Dean swerves out of the parking lot in a long arc, heading towards their motel at Cocoa Beach. Behind them a sign is reading “Cape Canaveral 1 mile”. And then Bob Singer yells: “Cut!”

*

When Jensen had seen the script, for a minute he had hoped, that they would actually go to Florida and shoot some footage at Cape Canaveral.

Since it is now the last season of the Winchester’s journey between heaven, hell, earth and some other places, the producers have taken some really cool liberties in the last months to make sure season 15 is nothing more than absolutely epic.

But – in this case it didn’t pan out. So, Jared and he as well as Dean and Sam are still stuck in rainy, cold Vancouver, trying to fake being in lovely Florida.

The crew starts to set up the next scene and they head into the safety and warmth of their nice trailers. “What I will never, ever miss …” Jared starts to say and Jensen can hear his teeth clicking together. “ … are the obnoxious outdoor shots in the middle of January, in the middle of nowhere.” – “Ah, come on, Jay, we’ve definitely had worse. It’s just a 30 minute ride downtown from the Space Center.”

“Sure.” Jared’s shoulders move in a silent sigh, but it still looks like a mountain range is moving, since he has bulked up even more in the last weeks. “I hit the gym, Jen. See you later.”

Secretly, Jensen thinks, that Jared is going through some early midlife crisis, but he also knows that his friend is struggeling way more than himself with the upcoming changes. At the moment, his mood swings from mischievous highs to depressed lows within minutes. The physical exercise actually regulates some part of this. Also, despite emotionally being really on edge, Jared is in top shape he envyless has to admit.

In his trailer, Jensen crosses off one more line on his tally sheet hanging near the door, the lines portraying the remaining days of shooting. It looks as if he was in prison, counting the days to freedom.

47 remaining.

But even though, he was the one, who had insisted the most on ending the series, the more they are hitting that last day of shooting, the more ambivalent his feelings get about the end.

He has just started eating his two nicely selected plates of catering as Sarah, his PA, knocks with her significant hard punch on the door. “JENSEN!?!” Despite her often strict and harsh orders he likes how organised she is. It’s kind of grounding. “Time for make-up!”

Great! That had been exactly 15 minutes of break. Nope. Maybe he is not gonna miss it that much.

*

“Camera?” Bob yells and Serge responds with his french accented “Rolling!”

“Sound?” – “Rolling.”

Jensen loves the moment, when the hectic bustle on set instantly quiets down and everybody gets into this focus trance of the scene they are shooting. Getting himself ready to switch into Dean is as easy as breathing after all of these year. 

“Scene 27. Take 1.” _Clap._

“And “Action!”   

Behind Jared and Jensen a flickering neon sign reads “Everglades Motel” in pink lettering, the Impala just parked right, so it will be seen in the framing as well.

“Didn’t you lock the door, Sam?” Jensen can feel Jared overly warm in his back, a reassuring presence as he cautiously steps towards the half open door of their motel room. Sam and Dean are completely synchronized in their movements. The choreography of the Winchesters has passed into Jared's and Jensen's musless, sinews and blood, turned them into brothers themselves over the years.

“Maybe it’s room service changing towels.” Jared whispers as Sam and Jensen thinks for the 17th time, that this is not a very well written line.

“At 3 am? Ehm, not likely.” Jensen lets Dean reply with an eye roll, than slipping into stealth mode. He lets Dean’s hand slowly rest on the door handle. He has to admire, how the set designer has again really outdone himself, given the “Everglades Motel” a run-down 70ies design. Florida Art Deco in pink and bright turquoise with this nice touch of peeling fake gold. It's perfect up to the awful give away shriek, the door makes, when he slowly drags it open. 

Jensen lets Dean react to it with a pissed sneer, giving it a bit of his subtle trademark comedy. The series is often dark enough and the fans love mad Dean. 

Later, they will find Lucifer sitting on one of their beds, legs crossed over, one joyfully swinging up and down. But right now, they just need the shot of how Sam and Dean enter the room.

Suddenly, there is a movement in the dark room, way too close to him and he shrinks away some milimeters, which he hopes the camera hasn’t caught.

No one should be behind that door right now. They do the counter shot later. Damn, probably that means, they have to do the scene again and there he thought they might wrap early today. Within a split second, he chooses to ignore the movement. Bob didn’t yell “Cut!”, so he camera keeps rolling and so does he. Maybe they can still use the shot.

As scripted Jensen turns his head to signal to Jared, who has creased his forehead into his patented Sam furrows, that he will enter the room first.

Probably, it's a crew member, that hadn’t heard the „Rolling!“ call, he thinks. And these are actually his last coherent thoughts.

A shocked yelp from Jared/Sam behind him, followed by a flurry of hard punches square into his chest , so all air explodes out of his lungs, shoving him right into his co-star. Then there is a fist grabbing the collar of his jacket pulling him in, whilst the other fist punches him straight in the face, sending him in a heap to the ground.

It's a really weird feeling, when the skin of your lip splits under a hard knuckle, Jensen thinks and then he screams as the hot iron poker feeling spreads across his mouth, a strong copper taste, another punch to his temple and Jensen blacks out.

*

The iron stench of fresh blood and hopelessly cheap whisky fills his nostrils, when he comes to again. His first clearer thought is about the whisky: Should probably tell Bob. Drinking on set before wrap is super dangerous.

Then he remembers the fight and his adrenalin skyrockets again. Impulsively, Jensen turns his head to check for danger, a firework of sparks shooting through his skull and his arms, which are painfully pinned to the floor. 

A slither of light falls through the half open door at his side. It definitely hadn’t been that dark before with all the light cranes firing their thousands of wattage onto the set.

But right now, there is just this small beam through the door and it highlights a metalic shine surrounding a black hole right in front of him. The hole is starring back at him like a pupilless eye and is attached to a barrel, the gun directed at his left cheek bone.

This is completely unscripted.

Jensen’s instincts kick in immediately, full on “Danger!” alarm flooding his bones, while his brain is hectically grasping at clues, time slows down like before an accident you see coming, turning seconds into minutes.

“Prank. Jared. Damn.”

“Dream. Wake up, Jensen!”

“Experimental shot with hidden camera?”

Sometimes Jensen likes the experiments Supernatural has tried out over the years, he loves to improvise. But this is really unasked for.

He can’t move. Labored breathing above him. Sharp pain in his bizeps. There is a heavy body on him, kneeling on his arms, legs digging into the muscles, where they pin him to the ground like a dead butterfly in a display case.

A huge black shape above him, a fucking giant. Maybe one of the stuntmen? Some of them are built like the Hulk.

There is a flash of anger running blood red through him, but it is quickly stifled by the atmosphere of real fucking danger. This isn’t a joke anymore. Slowly, with a feeling that one false move might be his last, Jensen sits up a bit and lets his vision drift to the end of the gun.

His eyes must have finally been adjusting to the dark, because now he can make out shaggy hair and a face, he knows like his own.

With a huge sigh Jensen relaxes back. “Okay, Jared, you had your fun, but it’s enough n…”

Jared’s eyes squint into mean slits above him. There is something so profoundly wrong with this picture, that Jensen keeps holding his breath and it’s probably for the better.

„Who are you?“ Jared barks, his eyes staring glacially cold down at him.

Okay, he has to give it to J. Really well played. Quite over the top for a prank, a bit much over the top actually, even for Jared, but masterly executed.

Still, Jared’s unwavering gaze actually says the opposite, and yes, his friend is a good actor, but this ...

„Hey! I asked you a question!“ Jared yells again and Jensen’s head is pounding from the noise.

„I’m not gonna wait forever, dude.“ Jared has never sounded so scary and the look in his eyes, when he grips the lapels of his, well, Dean’s jacket and lifts him half of the ground. Up close, face to face, this weird vibe from his friend gets even worse. Though it’s Jared’s face, there is nothing familiar about it. A cold breeze sweeps over Jensen’s back.

„Jared, let me down. I get it ... Great joke! Really. But now we need to get back to filming or we end up at 4 am again and ...“

„Who’s Jared?“  There is still a way too fierce expression in Jared’s eyes, but he mostly seems irritated right now.

“Just drop the act, Jay.”

Jared scrunches his eyes questioningly and finally looks more like his old friend and less like a scary replica. “What do you mean with “filming”?

„Whad d’ya think?” The Texan creeps back into Jensen’s voice. Always happens, when he is really distressed. Or drunk. Drunk would be better right now. “What do _you_ mean with “filming”? In 3 seconds Bob will storm in here and scold you for wasting money and the time of the crew. Listen ...“

“Bobby’s dead.” Confused and with a twinge of grief Jared tilts his head. He now has this concentrated face like when they are running lines and he has again forgotten his and tries to make sense of the bits and pieces that are floating in his mind.

Suddenly, there are loud approaching steps outside of the door mingled with a strange noise, like a heavy body dragged over gravel.

Jensen feels like praying right now. He takes a careful breath. In some moments, this weird situation will be dissolved and he will hear Jared laughing his ass off like a hyena.

And he, he will in the beginning act seriously pissed, but he knows in the end he will actually have to laugh about it himself. Jared really got him this time. It’s not gonna be a walk in the park to get revenge on this one. 

The door swings open violently and a huge shadow steps in. Against the dim lights, which looks like the exact illumination of a parking lot, a real parking lot, a man is looming in the door frame, then he moves his arm and there is loud thud of something heavy hitting the carpet like a huge sack of potatoes.

In the big bundle of human right in front of him, Jensen can make out a familiar mop of shaggy hair and …

This is the most elaborate prank ever played in this studio. Probably Jared felt, he had to step up his game in the face of their final season.Actually, they had stopped pranking each other in the earlier season (though the contract didn't include guest stars), since it had gone way too far very quickly.

Slowly, Jensen lifts his head from the unconscious figure on the ground, which resembles Jared. The make-up departement has done a really fantastic job there.

He catches a glimpse of someone behind the first Jared, who is still kneeling on his arms. Shiny eyes in the dark, watching him with the same suspicious expression. And – No! No way! That can’t be ... But the shape, the color, the distinctive crease over the brow of the man, examining him with an hostile expression plastered over his – his! - face.

„I got the other one!“, growls the man to Jared and it sounds weirdly familiar and strangely different.

The man takes one step towards Jensen and the lights from the parking lot now really flashes over his face and it is incredibly scary and breathtaking. He has never seen his own face without the facilitation of a mirror.

But it is also not exactly his face. Other him must be a decade older. The hair is much greyer, thinner and in desperate need of a haircut and some styling products. But it is the myriad of bruises and scares ornamenting „his“ face, that is really getting him. It reminds him of Dean‘s purgatory style.

“Who are you?” He just wished Jared would stop yelling at him so loudly. “Who send you?”

„He’s fucking with you.“, growls Purgatory/Make-up-Department!Dean.

This is simple ridiculous. Jensen takes a deep breath and relaxes. It’s clearly a weird dream. He had had them before. Sometimes, the years of playing Dean get to him. The long hours on set, the intensity of the role, he is playing for one and a half decade …

„Here!“ A flash of metal in the air. A hand grabbing it and a sharp pain on his forearm.

WTF??? Jared has cut him. The pain is so strong, he would wake up from it.

Why is he not waking up?

Water is splashed on him, another knife cut into his arm and one part of his brain recognizes the drill.

„They are human!“, announces Jared.  Slowly, he can feel the pressure on his arms recede as Jared stands up, the gun still aimed at his head.

“From which world are you?” Weirdly enough, he knows what Fake!Dean is referring to and maybe he is right, maybe they traveled through a rift … Okay, no. No! He can’t start thinking like that.

“We are from Vancouver.” – “Vancouver, Canada?” – “Yes.” Jensen hates how his voice wavers. “And we didn’t come through a rift, just through this door here. As I said, we were filming …”

“How do you know about the rifts?” Dean’s tone is cutting into him like a thin, sharp blade, his eyes daggers peeling away his skin to look for the truth.

Jensen pulls himself together and sits up a bit more straight, trying to gain back his composure in the face of this incredible situation. He swallows dryily before he croaks: “As I said, we were just filming …”

“Why do you keep talking about filming?”

Jensen gets really angry now. “I do, because this is my job. I am an actor.” The guy, who looks like him, narrows his eyes on Jensen and he wishes the other Jared would wake up from his unconsciousness.  

“Explains, why you looks so …” Dean just makes a vague hand gesture, that still says a lot of what he thinks about Jensen’s appearance. It’s not something flattering.

“What are you filming?” – “A series called “Supernatural”, in which I play a character named Dean Winchester.” It gives Jensen a little satisfaction, when Dean’s face slakens for a brief second.

“You mean … you play me? In a movie?” – “TV show.” Dean turns to Jared, who probably is Sam (Really? God, this is weird!), who stars thoughtfully at Jared (Please, let this be his Jared.), who is still out like a light. “And he’s then probably playing me!?!” Jensen nods. “Is this because of Chuck’s books?” Jensen nods again.

Dean takes a step back, ruffling through his dirty hair and the gesture is weirdly familiar to Jensen until Dean growls at Sam: “I really would appreciate one of your dorky theories right about now, Einstein! I swear, if this is again one the fucking feathers messing with us ...“

„They are nearly all dead, Dean. Like for good. ... Or bad.“ - "But this feels exactly like one of them." On

This must be joke. Maybe it is Gabriel.  Great, now he is thinking Dean thoughts. This doesn’t make any sense. He just wants to wake up.

It seems, that Jensen has said Gabriel’s name out loud, because both Winchesters turn around simultaneously to him. “Gabriel?" Under Fake!Dean's battered face, there is something like ... Hope? showing through. "Sure, that would be a total Gabe dick move. Right, Sam?”

He has really said “Sam”, Jensen thinks dully. Fuck his theory seems to be right. Though this means, this is Real!Dean and the guy is way more aggressive than he plays him, though the mimic and body language still looks weirdly familiar to him.

“Maybe, Dean! But he his … dead as well!” Sam hangs his head and looks for the first time not like a bloodthirsty hunter.

If - and that is a bit IF – this is really … Sam Winchester – the thought alone makes him dizzy – then why does he sound genuinely sad? Jensen doesn’t get it. Why would … Sam Winchester mourn over a guy, who had let him live through over a hundred Tuesdays with his brother dying over and over again?

After some seconds, Sam lifts up with a jolt, that makes Jensen shiver. “I think, I know, what’s going on …” – “Really? Well, spit it out.” – “Remember Balthazar …”

“Oh, no. Fucking no!” Dean is palming his face with a long sigh. “They are these douchebags from this weird set?!?” Dean’s gaze wanders over to Sam. “So, he is the one, who married fake Ruby?”, he spits.

“Well, …” Sam looks a little sheepishly and compassionate at the still unconscious form of Jared like he actually understands him a bit. “I was actually wondering, where they went, when we crashed into their reality, Dean.”

Jensen’s brain is switching gears. “You are implying, that you are … actually … really have been … at our set?”

“Well, pretty boy, we do imply.” Real!Dean answers with a wrenched little smile.

“But … it was just a joke of the crew.” Jensen insists. He knows. 

“Which joke?” Sam interfers.

“When we were shooting “The French Mistake”, the editors in post …” – “Which mistake?” – “The French Mistake!?! The episode, you claim to have been part of?”

Dean actually nods at him, but there is still confusion behind his eyes. It’s easy for him to read all the little micromimics of Dean, since he is not just wearing his face, well, an alternative version of it, but also Dean’s mindset is like a second skin to Jensen, even though it is actually still quite different.

Before Dean gets suspicious about it, Jensen quickly continues the story: “There was something wrong with the footage from one day of this shoot. At least, that is what Jared and I had thought, when Bob showed it to us, still bitching about how ridiculous this “joke” was that Jared and I had apparently pulled on them. …”Jensen can’t suppress the chuckle thinking about the footage again, though then it had really freaked him out. “By Chuck, you were really bad.”

Dean flies from his half relaxed pose at the table forward into his face like an arrow from a bow. “We tried our best, okay? Wanna try one day of real hunting to see how much fun it really is?”, he barks so harsh and up close, that Jensen can see and fell the spit flying towards him.

“Hey, Dean. Get yourself together. You are scarying him.” Suddenly Dean is pulled back out of his face. It’s weird to know that Sam is kind of his knight in well, not so shining armour.

Finally, he is able to get a good glimpse at Dean and Sam. Jensen can see, that both of the brothers’ clothes are threadbare and stitched on several places, suspicious looking stains garnishing their jeans and jackets.

Dean starts to hectically pace the small room. When he reaches the entrance, he switches on the light and slams the door shut. “You fucking dick!” Dean yells at the water stained ceiling of this really run-down motel room and Jensen thinks, that in the suddenly flaring up lights, he sees a cockroach scuttle under the bed. 

„Mrmpf ...“ Jensen really is not in a position to laugh and he tries to stifle it, he really tries, tries turning it into a cough, which sounds like snorting and Dean is still glaring at him, but he can’t help it and the laugh is bursting out of him. It’s just ... Real!Dean is sporting a cute little belly, peeking out of his jacket. It seems he has stared too much, because Dean readjusts his plaid shirt.

In a second, Real!Dean has pulled out his gun. “Stop. Staring.”, he growls and the laughter on Jensen’s lips dies a sudden death, because actually Real!Dean is really not funny, but scary as fuck. There is rugged scar running over his forehead, a badly healed cut right over his left cheek bone.

“So, you …” Helplessly, Jensen just circles his own face with his hand. “You really hunt monsters?”

Immediately, Real!Dean is back in his face again. “What do you think? That I carved those out myself?”

“No. … It’s just … I thought, in the script … The scars, I mean, it doesn’t … in the TV series, you don’t look so, well, … real?!?”

“Sure, Babyface!” Real!Dean’s eyes narrow on him and breathlessly, Jensen sees Dean extending his arm towards his face, touching his cheek with one finger. “Wow. Make-up!!!”, he spits out disgusted, then his face gets thoughtful. “Maybe they aren’t lying, Sam. Maybe they are really those guys, who have been hired to play us in the film adapation of Chuck‘s books?“

This is the exact moment, when Jared chooses to come to. “Mhmmmm …” He is rubbing over the visible bump on his forehead and flinches. „What the fuck? Ackles, what’s going on?” Jared looks more angry than worried, probably because he has a giant headache and has not yet seen their fictional selves yet.

“Oh, so you really don’t like each other.” Instantly, Dean’s lips are curling up in an amused sneer.

Maybe that could be an advantage against these trigger-happy brothers. “Useless over there?” Jensen says with his best Film!Dean impression and that actually coaxes a little grin from Real!Dean. He gives Jared the stink eye, who just switches his gaze completely lost between him and Real!Dean, his eyes roaming the ramshackle motel room, stopping openmouthed on Sam. “Fu…”

Bewildered, Jared looks at the two looming figures in front of them, then his expression changes to a grin. “Nice job, Ackles?” Jared sits up. “Did you get the Make-up Departement to doppelgänger our stunt doubles?” And there is another laugh at the end of his question, but it doesn’t sound so sincere anymore.

Jensen’s eyes wander over to Real!Sam,  scanning his face. It’s battered as well, but not as much as Real!Dean’s. He is still observing the finer lines of scars on Sam, when Dean says: “Pretty boy over here was a bit more lucky than me.” The same instant, Sam rears up to his full height:  “Oh, fuck you, Dean. Every time …” – “What? I didn’t spend four years in fancy Stanford.” – “Well, you could have left as well …” – “Sure. Just deserting my family, the job, …”

The brothers start bickering for real and carefully, Jensen looks over to Jared, who is taking the exact same moment to check on him. Jared curtly nods towards the door. Jared goes for a reassuring “It will be fine!” smile, which is too small and Jensen can see right through him, can see the freak out lurking just one layer deeper.

They make it to the door, tearing it open. Jensen is half expecting to be blinded by the film lights, the crew cajooling at them, but there is only the dark and deserted parking lot and the Impala. The real Impala. Jensen feels a strange urge as if possessed by Dean to touch the car, to pet her hood and roof.

“Hey!”, Dean bellows behind them and then Jensen is ripped back on his jacket collar with a violence, that chokes him.

One moment later, Sam is on Jared, beating his big friend down with one well placed and really brutal punch. He can hear an “Oooofff” from Jared, than he is pulled on his arms over the floor into the bath room.

Fuck. Jensen is still seeing stars from the attack. Dean seems to be able to read his mind. Can Dean read his mind? This thought really gets to Jensen. From his low perspective on the floor, he can see Dean reaching back under his jacket and drawing out some hand cuffs.

“I have to give it to you, Mr. Filmstar, you are actually not so bad for an actor. That was brave. Stupid though, but brave!” Dean’s mimic morphs into something that might be a smile, but it looks just scary.

Jensen would love to say, that there is no proud feeling glowing inside of him after that little compliment, because after all, they are again prisoners of this murderous brother duo. "Okay. ... Great. Just ... don't hit me again, okay, ... Dean!"

Damn! He hopes Jared is okay. Still, his head is spinning with so many questions, he would like to ask Real!Dean. How do they manage to get people to trust them looking like Frankenstein’s Little Brothers? Why don’t they use their fake credit cards to get better clothes? How can he be so out of shape, when he is constantly hunting?

But in his position, getting handcuffed to the central heating pipes and with Jared having been dragged in the bathroom, probably also handcuffed to something solid, this is not the point right now. The point is: What are the Winchesters gonna do with them?

The brothers are standing in the kitchen area now, Dean is taking a more than unhealthy swig straight from the whisky bottle and Jensen would love himself some, too, right now. The Winchesters discuss something under their breath, that he can’t understand, standing way too close, closer than Jared and he and they are already getting comments. It’s as if there is a magnet in their bones.

“Stop staring, movie boy!” Dean growls half over his shoulder. A depreciative glance rests on Jensen and the little respect Real!Dean seems to have had for him, vanishes like a ghost, whose bones are salted and burned.

The Real!Dean is definitely less fun, when he is angry as he is portraying him.

„So, we have come to a decision.” Sam announces. “We gonna send you back to your … wherever you came from. … Okay?”

Jensen nods hectically. Good. This is good.

“But before you go …” Real!Dean kneels down in front of him and the new found faith, that this will end well is gone with one glance into Dean’s scarred face.

“Tell me, Hollywood Man, tell me a little about this series … This … “Supernatural”? How does it end?” Is there really a twinge of sorrow in the eyes of this man?

He is a hero!, Jensen thinks. “I am sorry. I don’t know yet. We haven’t seen the script of the finale.” Dean sighs heavily in front of him, sending a nearly sickening blast of whisky his way.

“Damn. That could have given us the necessary advantage over Lucifer.” Jensen now genuinely feels sorry for Dean, a real sorrow and compassion, he has never reached before, even though he is walking in Dean’s shoes like nearly half of his life.

Looking into the eyes of Dean, the real Dean, he can see it all. All that he has tried so hard to portray right on the screen. Under the more than rough edges, under the decades of fighting and not caving, there is something frail and tender, maybe hope, maybe the four year old boy, maybe giving up, hoping for the finale to end everything.

It’s gone the moment, Dean asks: “So, what are you filming right now?”

“Ehm …” It’s fucking confusing to have yourself stare back at you. “We are filming a case in Florida about …”

“The burnt astronauts in Apollo 1!” Dean finishes his sentence and astonished Jensen nods.

“It’s … it’s season 15 in … our world!

„Season 15??? Seriously? Don’t people have a life of their own?” Under the harsh words is a little beam of proudness in the web of deep lines around Dean’s eyes. “So, this means we have fans?“ The excitement shows on Dean’s face, lights it up and years fall of his shoulders, making him look younger, much younger, more like a little boy.

If Dean would know about their fans. „Yeah. They are kind of obsessed with the show.” A full on grin, transforms Dean’s face into something of bad ass rough beauty. He knows this grin. He sometimes uses it on people, preferably on Jared after a particularly well carried out prank. It’s the first moment, where Jensen sees, that there are actual similarities between Real!Dean and Film!Dean.

What is this place?

“Yeah, kind of. I mean, there are actually Jared’s and my fans as we are …” Again Dean is quicker in his face as Jensen can blink. “I mean, they cherish the story line about brotherly love and …” Jensen hurriedly explains, but only gets a visible wince from Dean.

“Ehm, okay. … How brotherly loving are you … showing this?” Suddenly, Dean appears kind of shy, rubbing over his unruly hair with little red spots on his cheeks. When Jensen catches Sam throwing a carefully hidden side glance at Dean, it clicks.

Oh! If the fans would know …  

“And you two? This Padalengi Guy and – what’s your name?” – “Jensen. Jensen Ackles!” – “So, you two guys with the weird actor names … I think, you are actually friends. Nobody can play brothers for 15 years and hate each other. I am not buying your “We don’t like each other act!” Dean grins as if implying something dirty. Good this guy. Fucking Macho!

“We are … just friends.” Jensen replies curtly. There is this weird twinge in Jensen’s rib cage. It’s been there, since they announced the end a year ago.

“Sure.” Dean replies with a long glance. “So, let’s get your “just friend” out of the bathroom, so we can teleport you back to your little Hollywood Show.”

*

“Come on, Sam. This gigantic, Stanford-trained skull needs to be good for something.” – “This is like 10 years ago, Dean. How would I …”

“I do.” Carefully, Jared, without taking his eyes from Dean or Sam, takes a pen from the table and starts scribbling something on an empty pizza carton.

“Hmmm.” Sam is peeking over Jared’s shoulder, which is actually broader than his, probably Real!Sam doesn’t have so much time for the Gym, and this is the weirdest thing ever, Jensen silently observes.

Sam is thoughtfully swaying his head while he checks out the design. “I think, this circle here wasn’t closed.” He points to a part of the sigil.

Jared paints the sigil again. “Hm. Maybe. It has been 10 years for me as well, but I think this might be right.” Sam and Jared exchange a calculating, measured glance.

“Alright. What else do we need?”, Sam finally breaks eye contact with Jared and starts to scribble down a list. “Good, that we have Cas to pick up that stuff for us.”

There is low sound of wings filling the room, but Jared can’t see anyone, just that the list is gone from one moment to the next.

“Was that … was that Castiel?” Jared is still staring at the spot, where the memo had been laying.

“Yeah. … You probably have one as well in your show, I guess.” – “Yes, but … why couldn’t I see him?”

Dean and Sam are exchanging a disbelieving glance as if Jared was nuts for even suggesting this. “You really, really don’t wanna see an angel’s true form.” Dean says and fuck – now Jensen’s head is even more full of questions, but …

*

“Ready?” Jared takes Jensen’s hand. “On three.”

“Which three? Yours or mine?” Jensen asks, because this can’t go wrong. They can not just repeat this as if it was a take they had messed up.

Dean is rolling his eyes. “You’re sure, you’re best friends?”

“Fuck you, Real!Dean!”, Jensen growls and after a perplexed second, Dean starts laughing. It’s an honest laugh, but it still sounds scary.

“My three, Jared! One-two-three! Run! Jump! Hopefully land back in our reality!” He presses Jared’s hand once and starts counting. “One – two - …”

He can feel Jared press back, his whole body tensing at his side from getting ready. “Three!” The motel window with the sigils in lambs blood suddenly look way to small. How should Jared and he fit through it together?

But there is only one way to find out. Jensen runs in unisono with Jared, they push of the ground. He protects his face in the jump, glass exploding all around him and then …

… with a painful jolt, Jensen is falling onto a soft matress. Slowly, Jensen opens his eyes …  

“Ehm …” There are two faces above him, Bob Singer and Serge, the camera man. They both look a little freaked out. “Jensen? What … Where …?”

“Jared? Jaaared?” – “I’m here, man. Don’t yell. My head is still killing me.” – “Oh, brother.” Still full of splintered glass, Jensen pulls Jared into his arms and doesn’t let go for several long moments.

*

„Cut!“ Eric yells and claps several into his hands. “Well done!” He beams proudly at Jensen and finally, Jensen is able to relax his shoulders and reluctantly lets go of Jared.

Eric leaves his place behind the monitors. „Yeah! I think, we are on a good way with this. Only … Jensen,  you still need to give a little bit more of yourself into playing yourself. Remember how we were talking about Jensen’s, your mindset, in the episode, when he understands, that they are safe now.”

Jensen nods, even though, he thinks, he gave as much of himself as he could – more would be a dead give away. But he will try. So, another take.

“Also, you actually don’t have to hold Jared for that long. We could also do a hug and a clap on the shoulder.” Eric suggests.

“No!” There is no way, Jensen, the Real!Jensen wouldn’t hold onto Jared for as long as he can after this surreal horror trip. Probably that is gonna fuel the J² fan debatte – not in the direction he would prefer, but Eric wants the Real!Jensen in this next to penultimate episode and now here at the end, he actually wants to show himself, only wants to deliver epic at the end of this journey. For Dean! For Jared! For the crew! The fans. And himself.

How can it be more difficult to play himself than a fictional character? “Just” being himself in front of the camera is ridiculously challenging, especially since the crew can spot any incoherency. In contrast to that, it is a delight to play the hardcore and much rougher version of Dean.

Sometimes he asks himself how fictional Dean Winchester really is. Dean is still alive and kicking inside of him. He knows this guy better than anyone else on this planet, probably better than himself. It has become so easy  to switch into Dean’s thinking, his body, second nature really. There will be a big hole inside of him, where Dean was living, when this ends. It’s gonna be a bitter goodbye, bitter as in Death without the pizza eating.

Jensen bites back the tears, which are in these last weeks his constant friends and sighs.

 

 

_15 years are a long time ..._

  

 

   

 

 

__________________________________

 

Apollo 1

<http://ectoplasmnews.com/2018/07/14/the-haunted-remains-of-nasas-launch-complex-34/>

 

 

°

 


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